Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-08-31

plies in Gothic arch.
"They are nothing to me-" replied the
gentleman. CURLY, almost as if he es-
teemed the fact matter OF regret.
Assured of the favor of more than one
pretty girl of his acquaintance, was it not
a little hard that the full current of his
being must needs set towards this un-
responsive person of 80? 1t had been
ever thus with Joel Kirby from his per-
verse childhood, when. if he wanted cake,
no human power could induce him to
nibble gingerbread.
"No, Roxy, there's only one woman in
the world for me-" he continued in SOFT
er tone. "Your brother is of different
temperament. Has it never occurred to
YOU that he NAV marry a second time"
brother marry! o, no, indeed, he'll
never marry-never ~ cried Miss Rox-
anna, rooted and grounded in the belief
that her brothers. heart was entombed
with the dead Climena. mo. he could
not take another wife, Joel, and you see
he has only me. l couldn't be so cruel
as to leave him.
To all Mr.. Kirby's subsequent plead
ings she made this reply. but it soothed
his chatting spirit not little that she made
it with taltering, and that she parted from
himself with tears.
As the sound of his rapid wheels died
away in the distance she hastily dried her
eyes and hurried into the kitchen to see
about the belated supper. Mr.. Perrin.
still gloatlng over castle in Spain, looked
up with the roguish purpose of greeting
her MRS. Kirby" but, dismayed at her
troubled countenance, remarked instead
that 1.-The DAYS were getting shorter "a
fact that she had observed before.
He felt as if he had received a blow.
For him there was, there could be but one
Interpretation of his sisters unwonted
emotion. She loved Kirby, and Kirby no
longer cared for her. She had dreamed
that mans affections were like granite
powders, incapable of change, and she
was awakened with a shock. Hapless
Roxanna! She. too, had her trials.
Keenly sympathetic, the magnanimous
brother concealed his own disappointment
as best he could, and lavished upon his
sister an excess OF tenderness.
"You have the knack of spelling me for
other folks cooking, little woman. that's
the TRUTH" said he at tea times. ostenta-
tiously heaping his plate with cream toast.
"How should l ever get along without
you"
"Thatll make her feel that appreciate
her, if Joel don't" he unused. benevolent
ly, while she, on her side of the table,
was thinking: "It's just as | expected; il
would kill brother to lose me-
"Oh, you'd manage somehow. Maybe
you'd marry" she ventured tmidly, al
most hearing the huttering of the lost Gil
menia's wings.
Pooh pooh sister, nothing seems less
likely, answered her brother. in a voice sc
sad that Miss Roxanna chided herself fol-
having opened his old wound afresh. But
she had done it for Joel's sake. She
owed it to Joel to make sure there cOulC
be no misunderstanding.
The October days, with their noon day
patches of sunshine, and their heavy Dor
ders of twilight, came and went. In a
spasm OF hope that the charming widow
might vet consent to share the domestic
sceptre with his sister. Mr. Perrin made
a second proposal, only receiving second
decided though hattering refusal Mr.
Kirby repeated his call upon Miss Rox
anna, and departed inwardly cursing the
fate and by no means loving Mr.. Perrin,
whom he supposed perfectly acquainted
with the relations between himself and
Roxanna Overtaking Mr.. Perrin walk.
ing one day from the postoffice. Mr.. Kir
| by, with inward reluctance, asked him to
ride. With equal reluctance, Mr.. Perrin
accepted the invitation, rejecting. eff
amt civil he'll take it that Pm mad be
cause he doesn't renew his offer to Roxan
ma and | won't humor HIM"
Heavy frost last night" growled Mr.
Kirby.
Very" assented the ether, conscious
of an inward chill. winter is upon us
Shall you spend il in Maine P"
NV plans are uncertain" snarled Mr.
Kirby, adding mentally, Thanks to you
I sir
"Of course you can choose your own
climate. There's the advantage of having
plenty of money and no family ties.''
No family ties! Whose fault was il
that he had no family ties" unused the
irate bachelor, making rapid passes ovel
| his long beard as if to mesmerize the pair
in his breast. "Might not Roxanna have
been his wife years ago but for the neces
stiles of this selfish brother ?"
Though I've lately heard it limited
joel. tnat YOU were lHluklug OI marrying.
Mr.. Perrin blundered on, in his embarras
ment saying the very thing he had resolved
not TO say.
Mr.. Kirby snapped his whip. and trans
fixed his companion with a glance sc
frigd that poor Mr.. Perrin shivered as il
he were impaled on an icicle.
Your cousin is fine girl. Joel, ar
uncommonly fine girl. II congratulate
tyou," he stammered, wishing it would d.
o get out and walk
.'You are too kind. Perrin, too kind by
half" sneered MIR. Kirby letting 90 the
reins of his anger you've robbed me o
one bride, sir, and now you want to make
amends, do you, by choosing me anoth
erP''
why, Kirby, what are you ravins
about? When have interfered with your
concerns, matrimonial or otherwise p
cried Mr.. Perrin in tone of innocence
you're laboring under some strange de
| lusion."
''Do you pretend it's deusion of mine
that but for you Roxanna would be my
wife ?"
"Oh. he's INVITING me on old scores
mused Mr.. Perrin aggrieved H,
blames me for letting sister give up hel
prospects in life tor Climena's sake. Sis
ter would do it, and she never told me
| +bara u,ae anvthinor hatua bor apd Ioo1